Ladies Gaelic Football

www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2022 | 35 ADVERT in 2022, completing the double with a Lidl National Football League Div 1 win over Donegal and All-Ireland glory against Kerry. Long before the successes of 2022 were achieved, it was a well- known fact inside the Meath camp that Paul Garrigan and Shane Wall would be departing the scene at the end of the year. There was a sense of 'let's go out on a high' about the Meath performances- and they certainly did. Garrigan and Wall's departures, along with Paddy Dowling leaving his role as goalkeeping coach in 2021, signalled the end of an era, but there was still a sense that Meath could survive those heavy blows. Then the news broke that Vikki Wall and Orlagh Lally would also be departing the scene to try their hand at Aussie Rules in the newly restructured AFLW, which would mean that they will be unavailable for Meath's bid to make it three-in-a-row in 2023. Emma Troy also revealed that she was taking a career break to go travelling in Australia. There was a sense after the All-Ireland final win over Kerry that Murray was also contemplating his future. The Cavan native loved being Meath manager, so the hope was that he would remain, build a new management team around him and that the players that remained would still be strong enough to retain the Brendan Martin Cup. However, after taking time to consider his position and sensing that the County Board might prefer a fresh start, Murray made the most difficult footballing decision he has ever had to make - he decided to call time on his glorious era as manager. So where to now for Meath? The new management team, headed up by Davy Nelson, will have very big boots to fill but, unlike when Murray was approached to take over in 2017, there will be no shortage of top class individuals wanting to get involved with Meath Ladies. Despite the loss of Vikki Wall, Orlagh Lally and Emma Troy to Australia and the likely absence of Aoibheann Leahy and Kelsey Nesbitt because of injury, Meath still look a very strong proposition for 2023. A quick look through their substitutes bench reveals a wealth of talent that believe they are capable of filling the boots of those departing. Obviously a player like Vikki Wall is a one-in-a-lifetime generational talent. One of those very special players that are irreplaceable - a Cora Staunton, a David Clifford, a Henry Shefflin - but teams adapt and survive and now CHAMPIONSHIP REFLECTION Image Above: Orlagh Lally of Meath shoots to score her side's first goal, under pressure from Dublin goalkeeper Ciara Trant and Sinéad Goldrick, left, during the TG4 Leinster Senior Senior Football Championship Final match beween Meath and Dublin at Croke Park in Dublin. Image Left: Meath players, including Mary Kate Lynch, Orlagh Lally, Shauna Ennis, Niamh O'Sullivan and Aoibheann Leahy celebrate with the Brendan Martin cup after the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Meath at Croke Park in Dublin. Image Below: Orlagh Lally of Meath celebrates with an emotional Meath manager Eamonn Murray after the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Meath at Croke Park in Dublin.

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